With the help of a “baseball source,” the New York Mets have created some drama with first baseman Ike Davis.

According to that ESPNNewYork.com source, the Mets are open to trading Davis, once considered a franchise cornerstone, to open a spot for Lucas Duda at his natural position (first base). Despite Davis’ slow start this season, the Mets believe he will have value on the market because he has big power potential (27 homers, 81 RBIs, .223/.302/.444 slash line in 529 plate appearances this season).

But that “source” might have cost the Mets some leverage by exposing issues they reportedly have with Davis. The ESPNNewYork.com story reports the team is disappointed with Davis’ unwillingness to make changes/adjustments and be coached. The Mets are also worried about Davis staying out too late after games, something that potentially could have a negative effect on younger players.

Davis, 25, wasn’t pleased when word of this report was passed along to him Tuesday morning.

“I have never missed games or not been ready to work because of anything to do with staying up too late,” Davis told the New York Daily News. “I show up every day. I play hard. It is unfair to me, and it doesn’t make sense.”

Davis added that he usually doesn’t leave Citi Field until around midnight after night games and that he sometimes goes out for a few hours afterward. That is normal for players, and Davis said doesn’t go out in excess.

The Daily News also cites “team insiders” as saying the Mets are debating whether they would prefer to move Davis or Duda, 26.

Most likely, team officials will sit down with Davis and try to smooth this situation. That might not go over well considering Davis has been a fairly productive player when healthy during his three major league seasons (he missed much of 2011 with an ankle injury) and has outproduced Duda (14 homers, 54 RBIs, .246/.331/.402 line in 417 plate appearances) this season.

If they do dangle him as trade bait, the Mets will have a tough time selling high on Davis. Interested teams certainly will try to lowball the Mets in a potential deal by citing the team’s concerns about Davis’ work ethic and social life—fairly or unfairly.